In the following days, Cao Jun stayed in the stockade as before, except for daily inspections, he never even approached the floating mountain, and a state of confrontation formed on both sides.

But such a state can't make Liu Jun feel at ease, or even make Liu Bei feel at ease.

In the Battle of the Foggy Night, after Liu Jun's statistics were counted, more than 5,400 people were killed in the first battle, and more than 2,800 were lightly and seriously injured, and the combat strength plummeted by 8,000 people.

In other words, Liu Bei's 30,000 troops are now only in their early 20,000s that can be fought.

Moreover, it is not a way to drag on like this, once the military grain and grass are used up, the follow-up transfer of Lingling grain and grass is not so simple.

The most terrible thing is that if the two sides are facing each other from beginning to end, this grain and grass will be more difficult, and it can be transferred over after all.

But under the defeat of the first battle and the turmoil of the army, no one knows what kind of thoughts Lingling Taishou Liu Du will have, after all, there is no arrangement of his own people.

If you don't believe in being straight, you must guard against benevolence.

Even if Liu Bei showed the most lenient side to Liu Du, there was no reason to follow the defeated army.

Of course, the situation is not so bad that it is desperate.

Zhuge Liang's trump card has not yet been used, as long as this heavenly reinforcement army can arrive on time, it can still give Xiahou Yuan and Guo Jia a fatal blow.

This is also Liu Bei's biggest expectation now.

The only question is whether he will show up on time.

Now Liu Bei didn't dare to think about the dream of a span too big like before, and even just expected him to arrive at the appointed time.

"Lord, quick! Check it out! Things have changed! "Huo Jun is a steady character, and when he can scream, Liu Bei's first thought is that Cao Jun will take action.

He didn't even ask a word, just glanced at Zhuge Liang and ran out with Huo Jun.

When I came to the hill, I was surprised to find that in the Cao military camp under the floating mountain, the sergeants were packing their bags.

This.

After everyone looked at each other, they couldn't help but look at Zhuge Liang, hoping to get an answer from his expression.

But their military advisors also had solemn expressions and puzzled expressions.

"Cao Jun wants to withdraw? Could it be that something big is happening in the rear? Could it be that the three family slaves have already cleaned up the ten departments in Guanzhong and turned to attack the Central Plains? ”

Zhang Fei's first thought blurted out, but a look of relief appeared on the faces of Liu Bei and Huo Jun.

"Quite possibly! Otherwise, there is no explanation for the sudden withdrawal of troops, and now it is clear that they have the upper hand, and they don't even need to send troops, as long as we hold on, there is nothing we can do. ”

After Huo Jun echoed a sentence, Zhang Fei smiled, it was rare to be approved in terms of strategy, and immediately smiled: "The third surnamed slave loves to sneak attack the most, he must not be wrong." ”

"Did Lu Bu solve the ten departments in Guanzhong so quickly, that's an army of more than 100,000 people." Liu Bei was a little surprised.

"Eh, big brother, what about Yuan Shao's army of 700,000, the defeat is like a mountain, the thief and son-in-law of the three family slaves are scheming, Ma Teng and the others are all reckless and rough, isn't it normal to be defeated." Zhang Fei grinned.

Liu Bei nodded first, and then looked at Zhuge Liang habitually, "Kong Ming, what do you think?" Did they really withdraw their troops, or did they lure us to sneak up on us to take advantage of the ambush? ”

Eat a trench and grow a wisdom, and now Liu Bei's heart and eyes are also more.

Zhuge Liang clutched his feather fan and frowned in thought.

Looking at this situation, he is indeed planning to withdraw his troops, but the question is, why did he withdraw his troops.

If you want to lure the enemy to attack, it is unlikely, Guo Jia blocked them on this floating mountain, and he also suffered a geographical loss, in order to do something, just to stay here.

Otherwise, if you really want to fight, you can put your own men and horses in the plains below, and the big guys will be able to fight their wits and courage.

If analyzed from this perspective, Guo Jia's probability of luring the enemy to attack will be much lower.

It is not ruled out that Zhang Fei said that the Central Plains may be in danger of being upside down, forcing Xiahou Yuan and them to evacuate from here urgently.

But even if Lin Mo could quickly defeat the ten divisions in Guanzhong, he would need to rest after all, and he couldn't immediately wave his troops to the east to attack the Central Plains.

If all these possibilities are ruled out, then the last possibility remains.

Zhuge Liang looked at Liu Bei and said in a deep voice: "Lord, watching the sky at night, the direction of Lord Li Cao is northwest, a few days ago, there was a general star in the west who fell, according to the righteous calculation, when a general in Cao's army died, maybe the accident was born from this." ”

As soon as he said this, Liu Bei's face showed an expression of understanding, "I heard that Guo Jia is frail and sickly, and he has been recuperating in Xiangyang for a long time after following Cao Cao south to Jingzhou this time, and he has also asked Zhang Zhongjing for treatment.

This time, it is very likely that the astrological signs were fulfilled on Guo Jia's body! ”

Hearing this, Huo Jun also echoed: "If Guo Jia dies, then Cao Jun's military spirit will inevitably be affected, and Xiahou Yuan should know that he is not an opponent of the military division, and now he wants to give up the good situation in front of him, retreat to Nanjun, and rely on the danger of Jiangling City Defense and the trench of the Yangtze River to block our army!" ”

"It's extreme, it's going to be like this!" Liu Bei's eyes, which were still suspicious before, shone at this time, and finally guessed the puzzle.

Such reasoning is not unfounded.

Although Liu Jun was defeated in the Battle of Foggy Night, Guo Jia definitely knew what kind of existence Zhuge Liang was, and naturally, Xiahou Yuan was also very clear.

If Guo Jia really has three strengths and two weaknesses, then of course Xiahou Yuan knows that he can't play Zhuge Liang at all.

"Then why didn't Cao Jun show filial piety?" Zhang Fei looked at the Cao military camp below, although everyone was packing their bags, they didn't see anyone wearing linen and filial piety.

"The virtual is real, and the real is virtual. The confrontation between the two armies and the death of the military advisor, Xiahou Yuan will definitely keep it a secret, so as not to cause turmoil in the army's heart. "Liu Bei understands the art of war.

"Big brother, don't let Xiahou Yuan return to Nanjun like this, otherwise we won't be able to storm Jiangling City at all." After listening to the eldest brother's words, Zhang Fei also felt that it made sense, and decisively proposed to hunt him down.

"This is natural, but third brother, don't worry, and listen to the military division." Liu Bei is in a good mood now.

"My lord, what Fang just said is just speculation, and the truth and falsehood still need to be screened."

Zhuge Liang's expression was still solemn, he couldn't even guess when he was fighting, otherwise he wouldn't know what was going on when he died, "Even if this matter is conclusive, if Xiahou Yuan withdraws, there will be a strong general, so don't be careless." ”

Xiahou Yuan can also be regarded as a veteran of the battlefield with a hundred battles, and this will definitely be arranged.

What's more, if Guo Jia is really dead, there will be a will.

There must be a pit in here.

However, Zhang Fei's words are also very reasonable, why do you want to fight Lingling first and then go to Wuling, in addition to avoiding the Jingxiang Water Army, the biggest consideration is to lure Xiahou Yuan out of Jiangling City.

If he is allowed to go back, then this trip will only have two counties, Lingling and Wuling.

The crux of the problem is that Jingzhou's strategic focus is Nanjun, not to mention that the degree of wealth crushes Wuling and Lingling, and if they don't take Nanjun, they will never have the opportunity to go north to the Central Plains.

A corner of Nanjun, you can attack and retreat, and the soldiers will fight.

Let him go back like this, and the ace reinforcements he prepared will make no sense.

Therefore, in fact, the current Zhuge Liang is also very contradictory.

"If you want to determine the truth or falsehood, you can only wait for Cao Jun to withdraw, catch a few lonely sergeants, and know the truth under torture."

Huo Jun's proposal was immediately vetoed by Zhang Fei with a wave of his hand, "How can it be done, most of our army are foot soldiers, and even a few hundred cavalry are not more than a hundred left in the Battle of Foggy Night, and it will be too late to chase and kill them when the time comes." ”

In fact, this is also where Zhuge Liang is entangled.

Either you don't chase and kill, or if you want to chase and kill, you have to make a decision immediately, and now you have to start deploying, and then when they lose the shelter of the camp, they rush up and play with them.

Of course, if the troops are really withdrawn, then the combat effectiveness of this army will not be too strong, and once the military heart is damaged, it will be difficult to recover.

"Actually, whether it is an emergency in the rear or Guo Jia's death, these are not important, the important thing is that Cao Jun is indeed going to withdraw, Kong Ming, if you sit idly by, Nanjun will be hopeless."

Liu Bei also knew Zhuge Liang's cautious character, so he sighed bitterly.

Nanjun is too important after all.

In the future, Xichuan and the Central Plains will be inseparable from this barrier.

If he follows his heart, Zhuge Liang is really unwilling to take risks at this juncture, as long as he waits for another twenty days, it will be the appointed day.

When the reinforcements arrive, he will come up with a few more strategies, even if Guo Jia is alive, he will definitely not expect this surprise from heaven.

The problem is that when they leave, this strange army loses its effect.

Is it Guo Jia's plan?

Even Zhuge Liang, who is capable of being proud of the world, has also fallen into confusion.

"What does the lord want to do?" Helpless, Zhuge Liang could only throw the question to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei looked at the two camps below, thought for a moment, and then said in a deep voice: "Even if the Cao army wants to withdraw, pack some bags, and straighten out the soldiers and horses, it will be after nightfall tomorrow at the earliest, since this is the case, then we will attack the Cao camp again tomorrow night!" ”

"Big brother said what he said, wow!" Zhang Fei immediately slapped his thigh.

Zhuge Liang frowned tightly and asked crampedly, "Where to attack?" ”

"Nature is East."

Dongzhai blurted out suddenly stopped.

Liu Bei thought so, because he felt that Xiahou Yuan was in Xizhai, and the last battle of the foggy night was also fought in Xizhai, theoretically this head would increase troops, so he subconsciously felt that he was going to fight Xizhai.

However, as soon as Zhuge Liang asked this, a sentence that the two of them said the most when they communicated on weekdays came to his mind, the soldier said treacherously, and after turning his eyes, he changed his words: "Xizhai!" Straight to the Chinese army! ”

"Eh, Dongzhai and Xizhai are the same, even if the Cao army has a strong general, according to the attack time tomorrow night, the Cao army should have just prepared to leave the camp, and was caught off guard by us, and An can be undefeated?" Zhang Fei assists again.

Seeing that the two brothers should have made up their minds, Zhuge Liang knew that even if he didn't agree, they would probably choose to take risks.

After taking a deep breath, he arched his hand and said, "My lord, if you have to attack, please divide it into two parts, one into the camp and the other to respond, and you must not run into them all."

The lord should know that even if Cao Jun really wants to withdraw, he will not be able to leave if he is rushed by us like this, as long as he waits for that person to arrive, Cao Jun will be defeated after all. ”

"The military advisor is just too cautious."

Although Zhang Fei muttered so, after thinking about it, Liu Bei still nodded heavily, "Everything is according to your meaning." ”

As the sun set, the orange afterglow wrapped around the land and reflected on Guo Jia's body, making that pale face not look so ugly.

"Ahem, cough, cough"

There was a violent dry cough, Guo Jia only felt that the qi and blood in his body were surging, and his internal organs were in terrible pain.

Spread out the silk cloth in his hand, it was a touch of red.

These days, he's coughing up blood more and more often.

"Sir, you can't do this anymore, I'll arrange a carriage to take you back to Jiangling overnight." Xiahou Yuan himself forgot how many times he persuaded Guo Jia.

But he still waved his hand as always, "General, you learn the celestial phenomena, when you know the longevity of a few days, I know my body best, if you can't help Sikong retreat this enemy army, you will return to Xiangyang. Ahem. ”

Before the expedition, he said well, as long as the medical officer said that his body could not stand it, he would immediately send it back, but at this moment, Xiahou Yuan knew that he could not persuade Guo Jia at all.

The most important thing is that with the Battle of the Foggy Night, he also knows very well that without Guo Jia and being evenly matched, he is not Zhuge Liang's opponent at all.

In fact, because of this, Guo Jia was eager to exterminate Liu Bei's living force.

Otherwise, judging from the current situation, Cao Jun's best choice should be to continue the confrontation.

Guo Jia raised his right hand with difficulty, and Xiahou Yuan willingly helped him to stand up.

Looking into the distance, the mountains and rivers are still the same, but a little more desolate.

"Great rivers and mountains, great rivers and mountains, it's a pity." Guo Jia's eyes showed a bit of reluctance and crystalline, but unfortunately he didn't have a chance to see Sikong take in all these great mountains and rivers.

Sikong, I feel the grace of your acquaintance below, and I will not let people hinder your great cause.

Night has fallen.

After Xiahou Yuan sighed, he turned his head and shouted: "Come on, escort Mr. out of the village!" ”

"Whoa!"

After a while, a carriage was brought in.

Although the sergeants had prepared steps for Guo Jia to step on, now he seemed to be struggling to even lift his feet.

Xiahou Yuan stepped forward, picked up Guo Jia directly, and carefully placed him in the carriage.

"Mr. don't have to think too much, Liu Bei dares to come tonight, there must be no return, after retreating from the enemy, the last general will personally escort Mr. to Xiangyang to find Zhang Ji for treatment." Xu felt something, or maybe he felt that Guo Jia had a half-division friendship with him, and Xiahou Yuan changed his name and called himself the last general.

There was a blanket on the carriage, Guo Jia leaned on the carriage and looked at Xiahou Yuan, and after showing a knowing smile, he nodded, "The general is careful himself." ”

Xiahou Yuan took two steps back, and watched a detachment of 100 people escort Guo Jia's carriage from Beizhai to leave by night.

Of course, Guo Jia didn't go far, but tonight, it is destined that it will not be peaceful here, and it is not suitable for him to continue to stay here.

In the night, the carriage swayed, Guo Jia felt that his eyelids were very heavy, and a heat gushed out of the corners of his mouth in his throat.

After arriving at the Yishan bag, the sergeant parked the carriage and lifted the curtain so that Guo Jia could overlook the entire village from this angle.

On the second watch, the pot was buried on the floating mountain to make rice.

On the third watch, Liu Jun's army went down the mountain, except for the 3,000 people asked by Zhuge Liang to stay in Dazhai to do an ambush in case of accidents, it can be said that they poured out of the nest.

On the periphery of Cao's military camp, there should be no fewer patrol posts.

This made Liu Bei feel more at ease, and the more cautious Cao Jun became, the more uneasy they were at the moment.

The uneasiness is right, everyone is ready to withdraw, the grain wagons, bags, and baggage have all been loaded, and even the marching tasks have been assigned, and in this case, a sudden sneak attack is absolutely fatal.

Soon, under the cover of night, they reached the front of the stockade.

"Third brother, you and Zhong Miao led the army to enter, remember that according to what the military advisor said, you must not rush into the hinterland rashly, advance steadily and steadily, as long as you confirm that the Cao army is caught off guard, I will lead the army to enter from both wings." Liu Bei was worried that Zhang Fei was greedy and reckless, so he reminded again.

"Brother, don't worry!" After all, this time is different from the last time, and there is no need to eagerly cut off the hearts of the enemy.

As long as you are entangled with them, you can run, you can't run far, except for those cavalry who can run, ordinary sergeants have only one way to die.

Having scattered their army, the remaining task is to harvest the stragglers.

Confirm that Xiahou Yuan can't collect the defeated troops, then, Nanjun will be at your fingertips!

"Brothers, raise fire and kill the generals!" At a distance of 100 paces, Zhang Fei burst into a loud cheer and led the few cavalry to open the way in front.

Behind him, there were 5,000 foot soldiers, wielding the first knife in his hand and making an earth-shattering sound of fighting.

The Cao army sentry at the gate of the stockade only reacted, and was stabbed by Zhang Fei with a spear to fly the leader's team, and the rest of them all rushed towards the village, and at the same time sounded the horn of the enemy's attack.

Liu Bei didn't dare to be careless, so the army fanned around Cao Jun's camp.

The advantage of this is that if there is any emergency, Zhang Fei can be received on a larger scale, and after confirming that this is not a trap, he can command the army to rush in to help the battle as soon as possible.

"I am Yan Ren Zhang Fei, the one who stands in my way will die!" The signature opening line, the effect is still obvious.

Unlike the last time, they did not rush towards the Chinese army in a hurry, and after entering the camp, the army dispersed and pushed forward horizontally.

Everywhere he went, Cao's army retreated and fled in panic as if they had encountered a plague, and they were about to collapse.

Zhang Fei was not in a hurry to chase and kill, but cautiously advanced, as a pair of tents were lit and lifted by him, Cao Jun was nowhere to be seen, and he was even more sure that Cao Jun was already on the way to evacuate.

Of course, this has the added advantage of not allowing the other side to hide in ambushes through these tents, as was the case in the previous case.

After pushing out two miles in a row, Zhang Fei was finally convinced that Cao Jun was really going to escape, so he raised his spear and shouted: "Cao Jun wants to escape, brothers, leave those tents alone, and follow me to kill!" ”

"Kill!"

After a short time, he went to the Chinese army.

"Pifu Zhang Fei, I've been waiting for you here for a long time!"

It's still a familiar voice, it's still a familiar figure.

Xiahou Yuan appeared in front of him again.

I've been tricked again!

(End of chapter)